So how is the market? Everybody wants to know. Buyers want to know if it's a good time to buy. Sellers want to know if it's a good time to sell. Here's something for you to consider. It's a comparison of the sales first 6 months of the last 5 years for single family residential homes.


"Based on information, in whole or in part, taken from Paul Bunyan MLS, Inc., Paul Bunyan Board of REALTORS®, for the period January 1, 2003 through June 30, 2007 and may not represent all data available."

Contact me and I'll be happy to to explain what the numbers mean for you.

Here's the January through June numbers for Wexford and Missaukee Counties. As you can see, the price of homes has dropped from a year ago. If you are thinking about selling, this is just one more reason you need to get a good real estate agent.

WEXFORD AND MISSAUKEE COUNTIES
Cadillac, Lake City, Manton, Mesick, McBain and surrounding areas

January 1 thru June 30

January 1 thru June 30	2007	2006
# OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS SOLD	324	322
AVERAGE SALE PRICE	$100,651	$107,372
DAYS ON THE MARKET	155	152

Every appliance has two price tags—the purchase price and the operating cost. Consider both when buying a new appliance.

Appliances account for about 20% of your household's energy consumption with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers at the top of the consumption list.

When you're shopping for appliances, think of two price tags. The first one covers the purchase price—think of it as a down payment. The second price tag is the cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime. You'll be paying on that second price tag every month with your utility bill for the next 10 to 20 years, depending on the appliance. Refrigerators last an average of 13 years; room air conditioners and dishwashers, about 11 years each; clothes washers, about 9 years.

When you do have to shop for a new appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR products usually exceed minimum federal standards by a substantial amount.

To help you figure out whether an appliance is energy efficient, the federal government requires most appliances to display the bright yellow and black EnergyGuide label. Although these labels will not tell you which appliance is the most efficient, they will tell you the annual energy consumption and operating cost for each appliance so you can compare them yourself.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy lists the energy performance of top-rated energy-saving appliances on its web site.

I hope you've found this series of posts on energy conservation helpful in reducing your energy costs.  If you are considering the purchase of a home in Northern Michigan, I hope you'll keep me in mind.  

Looking for an fast way to cut your energy bill? Improve your lighting.

According to the Department of Energy, an average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Using new lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in your home by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used.

Use energy efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in fixtures throughout your home to provide high-quality and high-efficiency lighting. CFLs are much more efficient than incandescent (standard) bulbs and last about 4 to 10 times longer.

Today's CFLs offer brightness and color rendition that is comparable to incandescent lights. Although CFLs cost more than incandescent bulbs, they pay for themselves by saving energy over their lifetime. CFL fixtures are now available that feature dimmers and operate much like incandescent fixtures.

Here's 6 Ways to save money when lighting your home:

1. Look for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing these products.
2. Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
3. Consider three-way lamps; they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when brighter light is not necessary.
4. Consider using 4-watt minifluorescent or electro-luminescent night lights. Both lights are much more efficient than their incandescent counterparts. The luminescent lights are cool to the touch.
5. Use CFLs in all the portable table and floor lamps in your home. Consider carefully the size and fit of these systems when you select them. Some home fixtures may not accommodate some of the larger CFLs.
6. Take advantage of daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room while preserving privacy. Also, decorate with lighter colors that reflect daylight.

 

Did you know that heating water is the third largest energy user in your home.  Studies show that about 13% of the typical utility bill is for heating water.  Fortunately, you can do something about it.  Here are 4 things you can do to reduce your water heating bill:

1. Use less hot water
2. Turn down the thermostat on your water heater
3. Insulate your water heater,
4. Buy a new, more efficient water heater.
   

Here's a few other things that will help:

• Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.

• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.

• Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.

• Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household.

• Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

• Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the water heater's top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations; when in doubt, get professional help.

• Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.

• If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clothes washer, consider buying an efficient, water-saving ENERGY STAR model to reduce hot water use.

• Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Some new water heaters have built-in heat traps.

• Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. The type of water tank you have determines the steps to take, so follow the manufacturer's advice.

• Although most water heaters last 10-15 years, it's best to start shopping for a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Doing some research before your heater fails will enable you to select one that most appropriately meets your needs.

• Buy a new energy-efficient water heater. While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will continue during the lifetime of the appliance. Look for the EnergyGuide label.

• Consider on-demand or tankless water heaters. Researchers have found savings can be up to 30% compared with a standard storage tank water heater.

 

Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 45% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling. What's more, according to the EPA,  heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

No matter what kind of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system you have in your house, you can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment. But remember, an energy-efficient furnace alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using the whole-house approach. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling from 20% to 50%.

Here's 8 ways to reduce your heating and cooling costs:

1. Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.
2. Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
3. Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
4. Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
5. Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
6. Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
7. During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your southfacing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
8. During the cooling season, keep the drapes and shades closed during the day to prevent solar gain.

I recently listed this beautiful log home between Cadillac and Manton.

7714 Corderoy, Manton, MI Whole Log Home on 10 Acres 3 Bedroom Log Home offered at $189,900 Year Built 1996 Sq Footage 1,700 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 1 full, 1 partial Floors 1 Plus Loft Bedroom w/Bath Parking 4 Car garage Lot Size 10 acres DESCRIPTION Enjoy plenty of wildlife from the decks of this full log home on 10 wooded acres. Huge 30 X 40 pole barn/garage to store your toys. Separate 12 X 20 boat storage. Dog kennel. 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with hardwood floors, great room and hot tub on deck from walk out basement. Energy-efficient triple pane windows. Wired (with fusebox) for generator hook-up. All appliances included. Furnance and water heater recently replaced. Chimney in place for future fireplace construction. Shared snowmobile/walking trail for association property owners. see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central heat High/Vaulted ceiling Walk-in closet Hardwood floor Tile floor Family room Living room Office/Den Dining room Dishwasher Refrigerator Stove/Oven Microwave Basement Washer Dryer Laundry area - inside Balcony, Deck, or Patio Yard OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES Hot Tub Dog Kennel Paved Driveway ADDITIONAL LINKS Map of property Virtual Tour Website Mortgage calculator ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Jim Meier RE/MAX Central 9052 E. 13th St. Cadillac, MI 49601 jmeier@remax.net Direct Line: 231-884-1386 For sale by agent/broker

With summer in full swing, and the sound of air conditioners running outside the window, our thoughts often turn to high electric bills. If you are one of the 4.2 million people who work from home, you owe it to yourself to consider using ENERGY STAR office equipment.

You've probably seen the Energy Star label, but do you know what it is? According to their website:

"In 1992 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced ENERGY STAR as a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Computers and monitors were the first labeled products. Through 1995, EPA expanded the label to additional office equipment products and residential heating and cooling equipment. In 1996, EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy for particular product categories. The ENERGY STAR label is now on major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics, and more. EPA has also extended the label to cover new homes and commercial and industrial buildings."

ENERGY STAR office equipment is widely available and can save you as much as 90% in energy costs. Overall, ENERGY STAR office products use about half the electricity of standard equipment. In addition to the direct energy savings, it also can reduce air-conditioning loads, noise from fans and transformers, and electromagnetic field emissions from monitors.

 

6 Ways to Save energy in your home office

• Select energy efficient office equipment and turn them off when they are not in use.
• ENERGY STAR computers use about 70% less electricity than computers without the designation. When left inactive, an ENERGY STAR computer enters low-power mode and will use 15 watts or less.
• To maximize your savings with a laptop, use a power strip for the AC adapter. You may not realize it but the transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adapter. Using a power strip will allow you to shut off the transformer when it's not in use.
• Years ago, it was common knowledge that if didn't turn off your computer, it would last longer. Well guess what? Times change and computers have come a long way in the last decade. Turn it off at the end of the day.
• You only save energy with an ENERGY STAR computer and monitor when the power management features are turned on so make sure you activate them.
• Lastly here's a long-term energy savings tip: Make your next computer a laptop. They use much less energy than desktop computers.
  

Throughout Wexford County and Northern Michigan you'll find a lot of factory built homes. You'll also find a lot of confusion about them because they go by many different names. That wouldn't be a problem for home buyers except that when it comes to financing, it makes a big difference.

You may know them as “trailers, mobile homes, single wides, double wides or manufactured homes. What ties them all together is HUD. In 1974 the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was directed to establish construction and safety standards for the manufactured housing industry. The standards went into effect in 1976 under the “National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act.” Normally, it's just called the HUD Code. In 1980, Congress again stepped in and officially changed the name from Mobile Home to Manufactured Home. Any home produced under the HUD Code should be referred to as a manufactured home, not a mobile home.

If you are considering the purchase of a factory built home and your agent tells you it's a manufactured home, it was built to the HUD code.

But what if your agent tells you it's a modular? What does that mean? Well, here in this part of Northern Michigan, it means it's a BOCA.

A modular home is built to one of three model building codes. The code most often used on modular homes here in this area is the National Building Code which is published by the Building Officials and Code Administrators International (BOCA).

In 1994, the three organizations that developed the model building codes started the International Code Council with the mission of developing a single set of national model building codes. The new code, the International Residential Code (IRC) has become the standard code in many areas and no doubt, as time passes, we'll be seeing more IRC than BOCA in this area.

In a nutshell, the difference between a HUD and a BOCA is which building code they were built under. Most of the companies building the homes use both codes, side by side. Two homes can be built on the same assembly line and be built to 2 different codes, depending on where in the country they are going.

When you go to purchase your new home you quickly discover the biggest difference between a manufactured (HUD) and modular (BOCA) home. For financing purposes, a modular home is handled the same as a site built home. The same rules and regulations apply. Because it is built to local code, it's considered a site built home by the mortgage industry.

A manufactured home is much more difficult to get financing for. Many banks and mortgage companies have chosen not to finance the purchase of pre-owned manufactured homes since it is difficult to sell the mortgages. At this time, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is the only source of financing for pre-owned manufactured homes in this area.

So now you know what a BOCA is. I hope you've found this information helpful and if you are considering purchasing a home in the Wexford County area, I'd like the opportunity to be your Realtor.

 

 

 

The sellers just reduced the price on this very nice home yesterday.

717 Garfield, Cadillac, MI PRICE REDUCED! 3 Bdrm Single Family House offered at $79,900 Sq Footage 1,500 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 1 Floors 2 Parking 2 Car garage HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Very well maintained 3 bedroom home. Newer vinyl siding, newer windows, newer central air, 20 x 34 detached garage. Separate dining room, newer bathroom and hardwood floors throughout. see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat Hardwood floor Tile floor Living room Dining room Breakfast nook Refrigerator Basement Laundry area - inside Yard ADDITIONAL LINKS Map of property Virtual Tour Website Mortgage calculator ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Jim Meier RE/MAX Central 9052 E 13th St Cadillac, MI 49601 jmeier@remax.net Direct Line: 231-884-1386 For sale by agent/broker